pruning gardenias

Question

I just bought a house and the gardenia bush next to the porch has been left to grow pretty big. I would like to prune it back to a more reasonable size, but it is still blooming and full of buds that are ready to open. It is mid-November here. I don’t want to do anything that will hurt the bush, so would it be ok to prune now, or wait?

Answer 1

Gardenias should ideally be pruned in the summer just after their main flowering time. It is possible to prune in the fall without damaging the plant, but this will cause the plant to not flower or have few flowers next year. Most of the flower buds you see now are the ones that will bloom next spring.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/gardenia/when-to-prune-a-gardenia.htm